Movie Title: Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (6/10)
Year: 2006
Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby official site: http://www.rickybobby.com/
If you enjoy fast cars, over-the-top comedy and enough chaos to cause a traffic jam, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby is well worth watching. Will Ferrell is at his ridiculous best, while Sacha Baron Cohen (better known to many as Ali G) brings his own wonderfully quirky energy. Think of it as a louder, wilder and much sillier live-action version of Cars, with fewer life lessons and considerably more shouting.
The movie follows Ricky Bobby, a NASCAR legend who seems destined to race from day one. He is even born in the back seat of a souped-up Chevelle, because apparently a normal hospital entrance would have been far too slow. He loves speed from an early age, and his father’s famous advice, “If you ain’t first, you’re last,” soon becomes the motto he lives by. It is not exactly sensible life coaching, but it certainly keeps things moving.
Ricky and his best friend, Cal Naughton Jr., start out as pit crew members for a struggling NASCAR team. Then, out of nowhere, Ricky gets the chance of a lifetime when he is asked to take the wheel. He goes for it, races without fear and quickly becomes one of the fastest and wildest drivers on the track. One minute he is changing tyres; the next, he is collecting trophies. Talk about a speedy promotion!
When Ricky makes it to the top, he brings Cal along as his racing partner. Cal is incredibly loyal and is always there to help Ricky win, even when he could take the victory himself. But fame and success soon go to Ricky’s head and there is plenty of room in that helmet. With money, attention and what looks like the perfect family life, he becomes arrogant and will not even let Cal have his own moment to shine.
Then Jean Girard arrives and shakes everything up. He is a stylish, eccentric Formula One champion who listens to jazz and casually sips espresso while racing as you do when speeding around a track at terrifying speeds. Sacha Baron Cohen plays him brilliantly, making Jean the perfect rival for Ricky: calm, confident, completely unconventional and ridiculously funny. Watching Ricky’s loud, all-American swagger collide with Jean’s cool sophistication leads to some of the movie’s funniest and most absurd moments.
Ricky becomes so desperate to beat Jean that he pushes himself too far and ends up in a major crash. After that, he loses all confidence behind the wheel and even becomes convinced that he is on fire. Suddenly, the fearless speed demon is driving slower than a tortoise with nowhere to be! As if that were not bad enough, his wife leaves him for Cal, his best friend takes his place, and the life Ricky once knew falls apart faster than a badly organised pit stop.
Of course, you can probably guess that a comeback is waiting somewhere around the final bend but watching Ricky wobble his way there is half the fun. He has to rebuild his confidence, face his rival and realise that there is more to life than always finishing first. His father may need to update that motto.
Final verdict: Talladega Nights has everything you want from a fun comedy fast-paced racing, gloriously ridiculous dialogue and characters you will not forget anytime soon, no matter how hard you try. It never takes itself too seriously, and that is exactly what makes it such a blast. If you need an easy movie-night pick or a quick mood boost, grab some snacks, press play and let Ricky Bobby do the driving. Honestly, it is safer that way!